Yes, the Ethereum started to show its strength one more time. There are only $400 millions difference right now and every new hour the gap is closing. Ripple is also very good and strong coin but the ETH's platform is bigger and everyone needs to use ethereum in their transactions not the ripple.
It is too early to call etehreum has showed its strength. Because, there will be no guarantee that we have passed the bottom of current down market yet. Who knows anything may happen at this time also. Moreover, ethereum is going to undergo a hard fork in near future, yes another hard fork that will be deciding the fate of ethereum once more.
Ethereum are coming back strongly but I am afraid that this is just temporary by the effect of hard-fork updates and ETH early return to the ground when big whales sell off when the update is completed
Yes, we need to be prepared more this time for facing the hard fork of ethereum. Only after that we can analyze how strong it will be after the downfall market.